A letter of intent was signed by Cincinnati Bell to lease approximately 220,000 square feet of office space in the Atrium II building in the 200 block of East Fourth Street.

A letter of intent was signed by Cincinnati Bell to lease approximately 220,000 square feet of office space in the Atrium II building in the 200 block of East Fourth Street.

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Updated: 7:02 PM EDT Jun 9, 2014

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WEBVTT WLWT NEWS 5'S JOHN LONDON ISLEADING THE WAY ON THE NEW DEALANNOUNCED TODAY ... AND THENEIGHBORHOOD NOW MISSING OUT ONCINCINNATI BELL'S SUCCESS. JOHN?IT'S A DEAL INCENTIVIZED BY ATAX BREAK AND PERHAPS BY WHATONE OF ITS CLIENTS IS DOING.BELL WILL MOVE INTO ATRIUM TWO,THE SAME BUILDING WHERE G-E WILLTEMPORARILY LOCATE WORKERS.BELL PROVIDES ALL G-E'S I TNEEDS.It was a stealth deal untiltoday. Bell's road to Atrium IIstarted with a Mayoral breakfastwith CEO Ted Torbeck a fewmonths back.(voice of John Cranley -Cincinnati Mayor) ("told methat they were debating whetherthey wanted to consolidate jobsoutside the city or inside thecity and we told them we wantedto get them in the city") Overthe next three years, Bell willbring 600 jobs here to this EastFourth Street building, doublingits downtown workforce.Solidifying its presence in theCentral Business District.(Chris Seelbach - CincinnatiCouncil) ("More proof thatthings are really hot here.")What one pair of hands applauds,another throws high into the airof disappointment. Those 600jobs on all four floors of thisbuilding right across fromNorwood's City Hall arecurrently helping to shore upthat city's tax base. They'll begone from here by 2016.(Tom Williams - Norwood Mayor)("You know, like I told youbefore, John, I don't want tosound like a bitter race horseowner that loses and thenwhines. It is what it is andwe'll make it work.") To landBell to this part of downtown,the city would repay the companyearnings taxmoney over ten years as it meetshiring requirements. Verifyingthose numbers will be missioncritical. It's a blood sport attimes.(Kevin Flynn - CincinnatiCouncil) ("I don't particularlylike the idea of us - and we'redoing it with other companies aswell - where we're competingwith Norwood for jobs.")Norwood says it did everythingit was asked to doincentive-wise. Itobviously wasn't enough. On adown day, Norwood takes the highroad, noting Bell's courtesycall.(Mayor Williams) ("from thediscussions even to telling usthat the announcement was comingup that they was going toCincinnati. That's a goodcompany.")ONE THAT HAS AGREED TO KEEP ITSCURRENT 652 JOBS DOWNTOWN,ADD 600 MORE AND STAY PUT FOR ATLEAST FIFTEEN YEARS. IN ASTATEMENT, BELL PRESIDENT TEDTORBECK SAID "FIRST ANDFOREMOST, WE'RE A CINCINNATICOMPANY." REPORTING LIVE, JOHNLONDON, WLWT NEWS FIVE.JAY-Z AND BEYONCE HAVE